


Toucan Play At That Game

by whalefairyfandom12



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Bad Jokes, Fluff, Fluff and Crack, M/M, World Figure Skating Championships, puns
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-18
Updated: 2017-04-18
Packaged: 2018-10-20 12:00:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10662159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whalefairyfandom12/pseuds/whalefairyfandom12
Summary: “Hey Seung-Gil.”“Yes?”The Korean skater had always intimidated Phichit a little. Talented and quiet some would call him antisocial, but deep down Phichit was sure they could be good friends. And what better way to break the ice than with a joke?“What do you call memory loss in a parrot?”





	Toucan Play At That Game

**Author's Note:**

> Dedicated to the lovely emerald-imperial, and shoutout to slightlied/the Discord chat for being my test subjects ily xx

    It all started with a joke.

    “Hey Seung-Gil.”

    “Yes?”

    The Korean skater had always intimidated Phichit a little. Talented and quiet some would call him antisocial, but deep down Phichit was sure they could be good friends. And what better way to break the ice than with a joke?

    “What do you call memory loss in a parrot?”

    “What?”

    He paused, anticipation hanging in the air. “Polynesia!” Admittedly it wasn't one of the better jokes he’d heard, but parrot related humor was slim pickings.

    Seung-Gil did not look impressed. “Is this in reference to my short program?”

    “Yes?” Silence. He was suddenly and painfully aware that perhaps he'd made a mistake in thinking Seung-Gil was the type of person to appreciate corny humor. It had worked on Viktor, but Viktor thought grumpy cat was hilarious so there you had it.

    The other man’s face was unreadable. “I've heard better.”

    “I’ll find a stronger one.”

    “I would really rather you didn't. Goodbye.” He turned and headed towards the door, an obvious and abrupt dismissal.

    “I'll see you at Worlds?” Phichit called after him. “Maybe?”

    Seung-Gil let the click of the closing door answer for him.

* * *

     Phichit had been a silent lurker of Seung-Gil’s Instagram account for a few years now. Though he was a hamster fan through and through, he had to admit the man’s husky was adorable. He'd never messaged him before, but he'd found a new parrot joke and come to the conclusion it was too awful not to share.

_February 19, 2016 at 10:35_

**phichit+chu:**

_[a parrot's face and the text: Why was the parrot sent out of the classroom? Because he was using fowl language!]_

    There was no response.

    He tried not to feel too disappointed, closing out of the DM and opening Safari. The page was still open to _Parrot Puns_ , and his eyes landed on another one with a snort.

_February 19, 2016 at 10:40_

**phichit+chu:**

_[a comic of a bunch of birds sitting together and the text: "I just can't stand all the small squawk."]_

    This time, a reply came almost immediately.

_February 19, 2016 at 10:43_

**seung-gillee:**

…

    Encouraged, Phichit opened his camera roll and selected the last screenshot he’d saved.

_February 19, 2016 at 10:44_

**phichit+chu:**

_[a comic with two parrots sitting together and the text: I hear you grew up in a single parrot family...]_

    There was no answer.

    He clicked on Seung-Gil’s profile with a frown. Apparently the other skater had blocked him.

_February 19, 2016 at 10:50_

**phichit+chu:**

...chicken ;)

* * *

     Phichit managed to track Seung-Gil down after the short program. They'd both performed fairly well, Phichit sitting comfortably in fifth with a new personal best and Seung-Gil in sixth. Ideally they should both be resting, but this was another opportunity to become friends and he wasn't about to let it pass.

    Seung-Gil still hadn't unblocked him on Instagram, but he was sure he'd just forgotten.

    The skater was standing by the door, head bent over his phone and thumbs flying. His hair was disheveled, and Phichit’s throat felt strangely dry.

    “Good job on the short program,” he said by way of greeting.

    Seung-Gil slipped his phone into his pocket, gaze as intense as ever. “You too.” He crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow. “Well? Just get it over with.”

    “How do you catch a unique bird?”

    At this point, he didn't even flinch. “How?”

    Phichit grinned. “Unique up on him.”

   “That didn't even have parrots in it.”

    “I know. I'm running out.”

    “Thank god for that.”

    Unless his ears deceived him, Phichit thought he could detect a hint of grudging fondness. “Do you want to get something to eat?”

    “I don't know if I trust you anymore.”

    “No puns. I promise. That'd be pretty fowl of me.”

     Seung-Gil’s eyes narrowed. “You just _had_ to go and say that, didn't you? And to think I was going to say yes.”

    Phichit wasn't sure which was more surprising--that Seung-Gil had actually been planning on saying yes or that he'd already scared him off. “I'm sorry, I'll stop. No more puns about anything, not just birds.”

    Seung-Gil was shaking his head mournfully. “It's too late for that.”

    “Please?”

    “Sorry,” he said, not sounding apologetic in the slightest. “You've missed your chance.”

    “But--”

    “Stop. You'll just cause a scene.”

    Sometimes, Phichit reflected, it was hard to tell whether Seung-Gil was being sarcastic or not. In this case, he thought he was but he wasn't sure. “Are you ready for the free skate?” he asked, opting for a subject change.

    Seung-Gil shrugged. “I have a much higher success rate with the quadruple loop than I did at the Grand Prix Final. You?”

    “I think so. It's unlikely I'll make the podium, so my goal is to continue to beat my personal best.”

    “What? Why not?”

    He shifted a little uncomfortably. “The podium family.” Truthfully, he didn't resent Yuuri, Viktor, or Yuri in the slightest; they'd worked just as hard to get to this point and it wasn't their fault he couldn't make the jump from _good_ to _best._ It was just...a figure skater’s career was short and he was running out of time.

    “Don't say that.” Seung-Gil’s voice was surprisingly passionate, brows drawn and furrowed. “Like you're giving up.”

    “I'm not,” Phichit reassured him. “Really. I've made history for Thailand and that's all I've wanted. But while I might be optimistic I'm not completely naive. The odds of me beating Yuuri, Viktor, Yuri, or you with only the toe loop are low. _This_ year.”

    Seung-Gil almost seemed to smile at that. Almost. He approached levels of a pleased expression anyway. “That sounded like a challenge.”

    Phichit shrugged nonchalantly. “I don't know, do you think you can keep up?”

    Seung-Gil’s eyes seemed to glow the longer he looked at them. They were brown, like his own, but whereas his were one color Seung-Gil’s looked almost golden when they caught the light. “I guess we’ll see next year, won't we?”

 

    When Phichit checked his phone later that evening, Seung-Gil had unblocked him on Instagram. Somehow that made him happier than his new personal best.

* * *

     The banquet was as uninteresting as always.

    Yuuri was busy talking to sponsors when Viktor wasn't draped over him, and Phichit had been caught up in a few of his own introductions. He hadn't placed, but he'd set a new best for combined score and was even more determined to come back with the salchow next season.

    The positive side of the banquet was that it gave him some time to talk to Seung-Gil.

    The skater had placed fifth overall, with two clean programs and flawless quad loops. Phichit had been proud, which was maybe a strange reaction for someone he'd only spoken to a handful of times, but Seung-Gil was a good skater and an even better person.

    Phichit found him by the drinks, waving excitedly. “Congratulations!”

    Seung-Gil inclined his head in acknowledgment, a smile ghosting his lips. “You too.”

    He leaned against the wall, aiming for an air of casualty. “I would give you another pun, but I think it would just fly over your head.”

    “Weak.”

    “Give me a break. I was winging it.”

    Seung-Gil’s face was impassive, and he took a sip from his glass delicately. “Give it a nest already.”

    Phichit’s head snapped up. “You made a pun!”

    “No comment.”

    “You did! I heard you.” He only wished he'd been recording the moment. For sentimental value of course. Not for blackmail material or anything like that.

    Seung-Gil smiled, the expression softening his eyes and making something warm in Phichit’s chest. “Hmm. Maybe. Is the offer still open for burgers?”

    “Of course.” Phichit grinned. “So does that mean you admit puns are _emu_ sing?”

    The smile slipped off Seung-Gil’s face. “No.”

    “Fair enough. Like I said, for you I'll do anything, even stopping the puns.” The words were only half sarcastic, and he pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Commemorative selfie?” Seung-Gil nodded, leaning in closer.

    Phichit flung an arm over his shoulders, holding the phone out and beaming at the camera. Seung-Gil was smiling, gentle and sweet and genuine and Phichit immediately set it as his wallpaper.

    He posted it on Instagram with the caption: _I told Seung-Gil I'd stop making bird puns and now our friendship has finally taken flight._

 

    To no one’s surprise, Seung-Gil blocked him again. The shock was in the comment he left.

     _Toucan play at that game._


End file.
